The way healthcare providers, caregivers and patients accept this paper fax-free transformation to Direct Messaging is still in its infancy. However, during a pilot study at nine healthcare system locations, the project team observed a 64 percent reduction in paper faxes — in just one week. This met the healthcare system's objective of proving the value of digital Direct Messaging and demonstrated that the technology worked. It also provided a business case for moving forward and rolling out a Direct Messaging solution enterprise-wide to the 81 remaining healthcare system and community partner locations.
The healthcare system is also focused on the benefits to patients. Overcoming issues with paper-based fax communications is expected to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction — and the healthcare system will measure this as a key performance indicator (KPI) going forward. With the digital Direct Messaging process in place, the healthcare system also anticipates actual cost savings in paper, ink and related supplies as well as savings from redirecting staff from the paper-based fax workflow to patient care.
Growing market share is on the mind of many healthcare systems. Current non-community partners will likely see a significant incentive to use a Direct Messaging environment to streamline communication between caregivers and improve sharing of patient information. As a result, the healthcare system anticipates that non-community partners — especially long-term care facilities with the highest interoperability gaps but the greatest need for streamlined information exchange — will be more receptive to new partnerships, thereby creating new revenue streams.